What type of camera is best?

Question

I am starting to do graphic design. I know I need to get a decent camera in case a client needs pics of his business, work or whatever in the print ad. my question is what type of camera do I need and how many MP should I have without getting way more than I need.

Answer 1

I not only work in graphic design, but I shoot professional sports photography.  I can tell you that you will not need to spend a lot on a camera to take static photos.  In fact, you probably won't even need to get an SLR, although it might be worth it if you choose to shoot moving objects in the future.
Currently, I have a Canon EOS1D that I use for sporting events, but something like that is flat out overkill for what you would need.  I also have a Canon A700, which looks much like a standard pocket point and shoot digital camera, but it's actually a hybrid, which means that you can make several manual adjustments as you would on any more expensive SLR.  The camera is 6mp and 6X optical zoom, so the resolution is high.  Quite honestly, unless you're making posters, much over 6mp is overkill.  What you want to watch for is the optical zoom number.  A good MP number and Optical number is what you're looking for.  Pay no attention to digital zoom as that is meaningless.  We took that camera to Greece and got amazing photos, better than anything my EOS1D can take.
Other things to consider if you're buying a camera for static shooting.
VIEW FINDER: Most Canon cameras come with a view finder.  While hardly used, if you're in bright sunlight, you might not be able to see the LED screen.  I used this a lot in Greece as there was a lot of bright light and not many shady areas to shoot from.  Many Nikon cameras of this style do not come with view finders, although Nikon makes a top-notch camera as well.
FLASH: If you're shooting indoors for studio shots or product shots, you will want a flash attachment.  The smaller camera usually don't come with these.  The on-camera flash will not be good enough for these purposes.  Again, depends on what you're shooting.
The small hybrids will run you in the $200-$500 range, depending on your options.  If you want the whole gammut, flash attachments, SLR capability, and a variety of lenses to choose from, and the ability to shoot motion, you will need to spend a little more.  But, Canon has released a number of excellent lower cost SLRs the past four years.  Look at the EOS Rebel lines.  I've owned a Rebel and it worked amazing, even for sports photos.  Rebels run in the $500-$900 range.
If you're thinking the smaller, hybrid type cameras would work best for you, I would suggest checking out Crutchfield.com and BestBuy.com and looking through their Canon lines to see what might interest you.  Crutchfield has excellent customer service and knowledgeable staff, so they can answer questions that most Best Buy employees won't know.
If you want to take a larger step up and give yourself more options, try B&H Photo (bhphotovideo.com) and select SLR Cameras, then Canon.  If you want something above and beyond the Rebel line and money isn't really an issue, you can choose from the EOS 40D, 50D and beyond ($1,300 and up).  The one I'm looking at is the EOS1-Ds Mark III, but it's way out of my price range at the moment - $6,500!  That one is the sports photog's dream.
Hope this helps.  Hit me up if you need additional assistance.
Mike